IST to CST Converter
See the current time in IST (India) and CST (Chicago) side by side, the exact time difference right now, and convert any time between the two zones.
IST to CST Converter
Uses your browser's built-in, DST-aware time-zone data.
About converting IST to CST
India Standard Time (India) and Central Time (Chicago) are in different time zones, so a meeting, call or stream that's convenient in one may be early or late in the other. The clocks above update live and account for daylight saving automatically, so the time difference you see is the real one for today — not a fixed number that goes stale twice a year.
To plan across the two, type a time into the IST box (or tap a quick preset) and read the CST equivalent, including a "next day" or "previous day" note when the conversion crosses midnight. For any other pair of zones or cities, use the full timezone converter.
IST vs CST: the time difference through the year
The gap between IST and CST changes during the year because only one of them uses daylight saving.
| Period | Difference |
|---|---|
| Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026 | CST 10 h 30 min behind IST |
| Nov 1, 2026 – Mar 13, 2027 | CST 11 h 30 min behind IST |
| Mar 14, 2027 – Oct 23, 2027 | CST 10 h 30 min behind IST |
Daylight-saving changes in the next year
| Zone | Date | Offset | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CST | Nov 1, 2026 | UTC−5 → UTC−6 | Clocks go back 1 hour |
| CST | Mar 14, 2027 | UTC−6 → UTC−5 | Clocks go forward 1 hour |
| CST | Nov 7, 2027 | UTC−5 → UTC−6 | Clocks go back 1 hour |
IST to CST conversion table
| IST | CST (when 10 h 30 min behind) | CST (when 11 h 30 min behind) |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:30 PM (previous day) | 12:30 PM (previous day) |
| 1:00 AM | 2:30 PM (previous day) | 1:30 PM (previous day) |
| 2:00 AM | 3:30 PM (previous day) | 2:30 PM (previous day) |
| 3:00 AM | 4:30 PM (previous day) | 3:30 PM (previous day) |
| 4:00 AM | 5:30 PM (previous day) | 4:30 PM (previous day) |
| 5:00 AM | 6:30 PM (previous day) | 5:30 PM (previous day) |
| 6:00 AM | 7:30 PM (previous day) | 6:30 PM (previous day) |
| 7:00 AM | 8:30 PM (previous day) | 7:30 PM (previous day) |
| 8:00 AM | 9:30 PM (previous day) | 8:30 PM (previous day) |
| 9:00 AM | 10:30 PM (previous day) | 9:30 PM (previous day) |
| 10:00 AM | 11:30 PM (previous day) | 10:30 PM (previous day) |
| 11:00 AM | 12:30 AM | 11:30 PM (previous day) |
| 12:00 PM | 1:30 AM | 12:30 AM |
| 1:00 PM | 2:30 AM | 1:30 AM |
| 2:00 PM | 3:30 AM | 2:30 AM |
| 3:00 PM | 4:30 AM | 3:30 AM |
| 4:00 PM | 5:30 AM | 4:30 AM |
| 5:00 PM | 6:30 AM | 5:30 AM |
| 6:00 PM | 7:30 AM | 6:30 AM |
| 7:00 PM | 8:30 AM | 7:30 AM |
| 8:00 PM | 9:30 AM | 8:30 AM |
| 9:00 PM | 10:30 AM | 9:30 AM |
| 10:00 PM | 11:30 AM | 10:30 AM |
| 11:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 11:30 AM |
Best time to meet
- 9 AM–5 PM overlap when CST is 10 h 30 min behindnone — closest fit 6:30 PM–8:00 PM IST = 8:00 AM–9:30 AM CST (8 AM–8 PM in both)
- 9 AM–5 PM overlap when CST is 11 h 30 min behindnone — closest fit 7:30 PM–8:00 PM IST = 8:00 AM–8:30 AM CST (8 AM–8 PM in both)
The two zones
India Standard Time is UTC+5:30 all year — one of the few half-hour offsets. India uses a single time zone and has no daylight saving.
Central Time is UTC−6 in winter (CST) and UTC−5 in summer (CDT). It covers Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City (which no longer uses DST) and Winnipeg. US daylight saving runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.